TNDC CEO Message

Paul Gruner

CEO, TNDC

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tndc.ca/employment

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jobs@tndc.ca

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I am honoured to provide my first message for the Tahltan Central Government’s annual Industry Review. Although new to the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (TNDC), I am familiar with the business, having worked with Indigenous groups for the past nine years. Most recently, I was President and CEO of Det’on Cho Management LP, the economic arm of Yellowknives Dene First Nation in Northwest Territories. Its purpose, businesses, industries served, and service offerings closely mirror TNDC’s with significant involvement in the diamond mining sector.

I am excited to join TNDC, applying my knowledge and experience to build upon TNDC’s strengths and successes. From strengthening and expanding TNDC’s existing construction, camp services, airport services, forestry and fibre optics divisions, to moving forward several new opportunities in development, TNDC has tremendous potential. I’m looking forward to growing and diversifying TNDC’s business, propelling it further as a leading Indigenous business in the region, benefiting the Tahltan Nation.

While equipped with fresh perspective on how to grow TNDC’s business, I am grateful to have a knowledgeable and experienced senior management team with historical knowledge who are supporting me in our quests. My first weeks are focusing on meeting team members, clients and business partners at our Dease Lake office, projects sites, and in Smithers and Vancouver. Our focus is preparing for the 2022 work season, securing contracts and advancing new business ventures.

Along with a commitment to customer service excellence, we must also commit to health and safety excellence. The health and safety or our employees, the community we work in and everyone we work with is a top priority. Safety is a continuous journey that requires all employees to practice a SAFETY FIRST, SAFETY ALWAYS mindset and strive for ZERO HARM to ensure everyone goes home safe every day.

Serving exploration and mining and providing construction and camp services remain important pillars of TNDC’s business. As evidenced by notable projects like Seabridge Gold’s KSM Project and Skeena Resources Eskay Revitalization Project advancing construction, and Newcrest Red Chris Mine exploring underground mining. Red Chris continues to be TNDC’s primary client providing year-round TIA construction, road maintenance, preliminary underground construction and camp services. We are working with these clients to ensure TNDC and our partners continue to be their valued and trusted partners delivering on existing and securing new contracts in support of their projects.

Our airport services business as the contract operator at Dease Lake Airport serving Red Chris crew and medical flights, is an excellent example of a successful exploration and mining sector spin-off business. It is now an important and growing division, providing year-round employment for several Tahltans. Our forestry and transportation businesses are also providing employment while the pending build of our new fibre optics infrastructure will open the doors to exciting new opportunities, in addition to bringing new revenue streams.

At its core, TNDC’s mandate is to maintain a profitable organization that generates wealth, economic, employment and training opportunities for Tahltan members, those living inside and outside the territory.

The more successful TNDC is through the contracts we secure and business ventures we develop, the more opportunities we can provide to Tahltan members.

We want to be an employer of choice, especially for Tahltan members. The mining and construction industry is highly competitive, which is making recruitment challenging and retention vital. Wage reviews and increases carried out in Construction and Camp Services last year are being extended to managerial positions in 2022. We are also updating our benefits plan, developing a rewards and recognition program, and implementing training programs to help our team obtain the knowledge and qualifications to meet industry standards. Mentorship by qualified professionals will remain vital to grow capabilities, fill gaps, and meet client requirements. To meet our current and future needs, we will work with TCG’s Education & Training team to develop our employees of tomorrow with specialized skills and qualifications.

TNDC is on the path to an exciting future and I am excited to be on board, navigating the journey. Working together as a team with our employees, clients, partners and shareholder organizations, we will deliver on our mandate, achieve our goals and create a legacy as the business arm of the Tahltan Nation.